QQI Level 5 (Minor Award in Personal Effectiveness and Recovery in Mental Health)


Back Row: John O’Neill, Adult Education Officer KCETB. David Dwyer, Lead Peer Educator, Recovery College South East. David Heffernan, Head of Mental Health Services, S.E.C.H. Paul Clifford, Award Recipient. Niall Ryan, Award Recipient. Mags Lynch, Recovery Education Facilitator. Siobhan O’Brien, Community Education Facilitator, KCETB. Front Row: Margaret Sweeney, Award Recipient. Clare Fitzpatrick, Co-Ordinator, Recovery College South East. Anne-Marie Burke, Award Recipient. Nicki Kenny, Tutor, KCETB.

The Recovery College South East and the Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board hosted a wonderful celebratory evening in Langton’s Set Theatre on Wednesday 11th June.

Ten hardworking students were presented with their Certificates on completion of the QQI Level 5 Minor Award, Personal Effectiveness and Recovery in Mental Health.

There to present the Certificates was David Heffernan, Head of Mental Health Services, South East Community Health Care.

This course was based on a co-produced project between The Recovery College South East & Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board.

The course was co-facilitated by Mags Lynch – Recovery Educator Facilitator, The Recovery College South East and Nicole Kenny, Facilitator, Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board.

To quote one of the participants:

“Many of us who struggle with mental health issues find getting back into education intimidating. Learning requires discipline and focus – qualities we may struggle to develop at the best of times. We can feel pulled in opposite directions wanting to embrace the positive challenge of education, while dreading the fear of failure yet again.

Perhaps this is why the Recovery College’s QQI course worked so well, it focused on us participating as a group and drawing on our wide ranging experiences, rather than having us obsess about exams, percentages and grading.

Yes, there were assignments to be completed and deadliness to be met, however, in tackling subjects like CHIME (Connection, Hope, Identity, Meaningful & Empowerment), group dynamics, narrative/storytelling etc. we were encouraged by the facilitators to tap into and draw on our own ‘life’s rich tapestry’.

Perhaps this is what made the learning more real and meaningful. The group contained a diversity of human experiences and it was deeply enriching to be a part of it all.

Heartfelt thanks to all involved”.

We hope that this is just the first of many co-produced learning experiences by The Recovery College South East and the Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board.

Award Recipients: Margaret Sweeney, Paul Clifford, Niall Ryan, Anne-Marie Burke
Missing from the award recipient’s photograph: Catherine Flynn, Maggie Morrissey, Deirdre Hayes Jordan, Kate Slater, Steven Cooper and John Rice.
Previous Review of Journey’s End by Colm Keane
Next MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre where fashion has no age limit…